String and Bubblegum
by JustAnotherGeekyAuthor
Summary: The story of a secondhand Pearl and her Onyx who couldn't care less about what type of gem she is. Through thick and thin, they hold themselves together with string and bubblegum.
1. Made For This

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there lived two gems.

They were not made for each other. Their meeting was pure coincidence; a chance arrangement that could easily have been avoided.

Yet, it happened, and they were ever grateful for it after.

Onyx was a fighter. Not for war, but for sport, to entertain the upper classes in long, spirited arena battles, where the losing gem was said to be shattered each time; though this was untrue, as they simply reformed in an altered uniform and begun their career anew. Homeworld wasn't going to waste its fighters.

Pearl was made for a Morganite, and served quietly at her side for decades.

One day, Pearl's Morganite was shattered in a chance accident. Pearl would have been harvested, if it weren't for a Hematite requesting a Pearl as a prize for the next tournament.

* * *

Pearl stood on a hovering platform, with barely enough room to stand, over the center of the arena. She was protected from the chaos of the battle below by a kinetic field; but that didn't stop her from watching.

There were many Onyxes who came onto the field; but one, with her gem on her left cheek, surpassed every one of them in strength, speed, and skill.

Pearl watched, fascinated, as this Onyx defeated every one of her opponents, not once summoning her weapon.

There was another Onyx in that tournament who could match her. With her gem on the back of her hand, this Onyx fought with a hammer, and she was seemingly unstoppable, tearing through her opponents like paper.

When the time came for the final match, these two were against each other. Pearl favored the first Onyx- she moved with speed and grace, while the other seemed to swing wildly, and was merely lucky that most of her shots connected.

The match began, and at first, it seemed as if the second Onyx were winning. The first Onyx was constantly retreating, dodging, on the defensive; and watching, Pearl noted, watching her opponent.

Onyx reached to her gem, summoning her weapon. At first Pearl couldn't see it- then she realised it was a long strand of impossibly thin string, one end in each of Onyx's hands.

She leapt over the next swing of the hammer, and cast one end of the string, which stuck to the handle. She vaulted over her opponent's shoulder, wrapped the string around her neck, hit the ground running and pulled the string taut. The hammer snapped up to hit its owner in the face, while simultaneously the string severed her head at the neck.

The crowd went wild.

Onyx won the tournament, and so she won a Pearl.

* * *

"First off," Onyx said to Pearl as soon as the ceremony was over, "don't you dare do any of that formal stuff with me, you got it? Just call me Onyx, or come up with a nickname if you like, I don't care. Don't get into trouble, and you can do whatever you want."

"Yes, My… I mean, yes, Onyx," Pearl said.

Onyx smiled. "Well, that's a good start."

Onyx showed Pearl around the backstage of the arena- the large training area, and the cubbies where the gems rested. Onyx, as champion, had a cubby on ground level, close to the door. Pearl was to stay there while she trained.

For days, Pearl sat and watched as Onyx trained, sparring against other Onyxes, including the one she'd beaten in the tournament. They laughed together, playful banter accompanying their sparring matches. These gems were not the battle-hardened gems Pearl had expected; they were a family, full of goofy sisters having fun. They were not warriors, in truth; they were actors, playing the role of warriors.

Except for her Onyx.

She was a true warrior. She laughed and played with the others, true, but she'd also spend hours by herself, drilling the same technique over and over again, honing her skills far beyond any of her sisters.

Pearl overheard a conversation, a few days into her residency;

"Yo 4L1, you gonna get in on this?" an onyx with her gem on her thigh asked.

"Nah, I'll just go practice on my own," Pearl's onyx said.

"Suit yourself," the first onyx shrugged. "Dunno why you bother, anyway."

"You never know," was all Onyx said before retreating to her corner and starting her drill set again.

As Pearl studied her from afar, she began subconsciously tapping her finger on the stone floor. There was a rhythm to Onyx's movement- precise timing, down to the millisecond. Almost like dancing.

* * *

"Well," Onyx said as she finally sat down in her cubby after days of work, "what do you think?"

"About what?" Pearl asked, confused.

"Everything," Onyx gestured widely. "This place, these people. I know you watch, so I want to know what you think."

"Pearls don't think," she said automatically.

"Shut up. I know that's not true," Onyx said. "So tell me."

"Well," Pearl began, "you're all very different than I expected."

"What did you expect?"

Pearl considered for a moment.

"I think I expected soldiers."

"Hah, we sure ain't that," Onyx laughed. "Fighters, sure, but not soldiers. Wouldn't be interesting if we were."

"Not soldiers," Pearl agreed. "The others don't come close. But you…"

"What about me?" Onyx raised an eyebrow.

"You stand apart from the crowd. You act like a warrior."

Onyx smiled. "Sure you're not just saying that 'cause you're my pearl?"

"I believe you told me to refrain from such things."

"Heck yeah I did," Onyx said. She lay down, stretching her feet to the back of the cubby. "Imma sleep now. See ya in a cycle."

So Pearl patiently waited as Onyx slept.

* * *

"Onyx," Pearl asked when she woke up, "could you show me your weapon?"

Onyx smiled, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Sure, if you wanna see it," she said. She reached up to her gem and summoned a small length of string, nearly invisible unless the light hit it just right.

"I've never seen any like it," Pearl said, reaching out unconsciously. Onyx handed the string to her, and she marveled at its lightness, and strength.

"I thought it was garbage the first time I summoned," Onyx said. "But now I think it's pretty cool."

"How you fought with it was amazing," Pearl said, and handed the string back to Onyx. "how did you learn to do that?"

Onyx shrugged. "Lots of practice, and watching the older gems here. 4k9 has a whip, and it's not too different."

"But you fight very differently from her," Pearl said. "I watched. You don't stop to take a break for days on end. You keep trying the same things over and over again, until you get it right. You're dedicated."

"I guess so," Onyx said. "Old habit, really."

"I don't think so," Pearl said. "Old habits die hard, but they do die. You want to improve. You're driven to succeed. Why?"

Onyx chuckled. "Fourth day on the job and you're already asking the hard questions. I like you."

"Well?" Pearl asked, shifting her weight to her back foot and crossing her arms.

"I think it's because no one else does it," Onyx said. "I feel like I always need to be the best, because that's just what I do. But I'm also frustrated, since no one else really comes close, and I can never get a challenge. So I make my own challenges, by training, and that just exacerbates the problem."

"It seems to be a positive feedback loop," Pearl said.

"In a sense, sure," Onyx said. "Speaking of which, I ought to get to it."

"Go on, then," Pearl said with a smile. She sat down against the wall, and watched as Onyx went to join the current round of sparring, before retreating to her corner once again to train.

* * *

Pearl hummed softly to herself as she watched, her eyes unfocused, unconsciously following Onyx's movements without really taking them in. There was a harmony to the repetitive motions, and even when she failed, Onyx always waited for a perfect moment to re-enter the dance; whether she knew it or not.

The song Pearl hummed was ancient, its origin long forgotten. It was passed down between pearls, in what quiet moments they could snatch together. The song was different from Homeworld's usual anthems, but similar enough not to draw attention if a pearl were to hum it while working. Its tune was in a familiar key, but the melody was fast, upbeat, reminiscent of battles fought in the past; as if the pearl were the one wielding the blade.

* * *

"Onyx," Pearl asked once onyx had returned to rest, "may I give you a nickname?"

"I did say nicknames were encouraged," Onyx said. "So long as you don't copy any of the dozen I already have."

Of course, that made Pearl curious. "What are they."

"Oh stars. Let's see here…" Onyx began counting them off on her fingers. "Moody, Star, Tripwire, Slinky, Lonely, Tap, and Queen, to name a few."

Pearl blinked. "Those are very diverse."

"Yet all of them are me!" Onyx said.

"Well," Pearl continued, "I would like to call you String, after your weapon."

"I think I heard that one a few decades back," Onyx said, "but no one besides 5I0 would use it. So sure, go ahead."

Pearl smiled. "Thank you, String."

* * *

A few months in, Pearl heard a strangely familiar voice beside her.

"Goodness, won't you at least stand properly?"

Pearl looked up to find another pearl looking down at her. She was just barely tinted blue, with her gem on her chest.

"I mean really, it's bad enough that you're stuck serving an Onyx, you should at least pretend to have some dignity," the pearl continued.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I've met you," Pearl said, standing.

"Oh, you haven't," the pearl said. "I'm Hematite's pearl. She runs this whole place."

"I'm aware," Pearl said. She mentally nicknamed the pearl Teal, for her coloration.

"You'll meet her soon enough," Teal said. "So, what's it like being stuck in here with the onyxes?"  
Pearl shrugged. "Not bad. I like watching them train. String- I mean, Onyx 4L1, trains over there." she pointed.

"Hmm. Bit boring, if you ask me," Teal said. "I'd much rather have something to do with my time."

"Well, we agree on that at least," Pearl said, beginning to get a bit fed up. "But I find their training to be quite fascinating. My onyx in particular almost seems to be dancing."

"Please. There's nothing elegant about their mindless battles," Teal said. "I'll see you soon, Pearl."

"You as well, Pearl," Pearl said, automatically. Then Teal was gone.

* * *

"She's a snob, ain't she?" String said almost as soon as Teal had left.

"A bit, yes," Pearl said. "But I have a feeling she can't help it."

"Yeah, Hematite's ten times worse," String admitted. "Hopefully you won't have to deal with her too much."

"I certainly hope so," Pearl said.

For a moment, weighted silence hung in the air.

"String," Pearl said, "are there any security devices in this room?"

"Nope," String said, "not one. Believe me, I know."

"How?"

"We set the place on fire about a year ago, and Hematite didn't even send her pearl to check."

"Okay then," Pearl said, barely restraining her laughter. "No security."

"My turn to ask a question," String said. "Why do you want to know?"

Pearl held up one finger. "One more question first. How much do you trust the other onyxes?"

"I'd trust them with my life," String said immediately.

"What about with a secret?"

"Easy peasy," String assured her. "6B3 and 8T9 swapped places for two years and Hematite never found out."

Pearl smiled. "Then… do you think I could learn to fight?"

String's jaw dropped.

"Seriously?" Her eyes lit up. "You want to?"

"If I can," Pearl said. "I want to… have something to do."

The old tune floated through her mind.

"Yes! Absolutely! 100%!" String said. "You're gonna be the best fighter Homeworld has ever seen, just you wait!"

"No," Pearl said, "I won't, not as long as you're alive to keep that title."

String laughed. "We'll see. Someday the student may surpass the teacher!"  
"A very long time from now, maybe," Pearl conceded.

The next day, the combat lessons began.

* * *

**A/N: This will be a 3-part short story! It's about 20 pages long, so I didn't want to dump all of it in one long chapter. That being said, I am uploading the entire thing at once, just helpfully divided up for easy consumption. So please, keep reading!**

**Keep reading, keep writing, and above all, keep dreaming!**


	2. Star

Almost everyone wanted to throw Pearl into a sparring match and see what she could do, but String insisted on at least teaching her the basics first.

They stood, facing each other, in String's corner.

"Mirror my movements," String said. Pearl nodded.

"left foot forward."

"right foot turned out."

"Knees bent."

"Hands up."

Pearl followed as best as she could, but in the end her stance was awkward, tense, and felt as though she could topple at any moment.

"Here," String said, and came over. "Drop your arms for now. Just move your foot out a little farther-" String gently took hold of Pearl's ankle and slid her foot across the floor.

"Thanks," Pearl said.

String showed her how to shuffle back and forth across the floor, and maintain her balance no matter how hard String tried to push her over. She taught her how to fall, and recover. How to dodge. How to block. And finally, how to punch.

"You're small, so you want to use that to your advantage," String said. "You're not going to be able to knock me out with one big hit, but you will be able to get many hits in on me, with enough practice."

"That does seem to be the key word that keeps popping up," Pearl said.

"Correct," String said, completely serious. "This is day one out of several million, I assume. You're learning fast, but it'll take awhile before you're near our level."

"So less talking and more training," Pearl said.

String smirked. "Did I mention I like you?"

"I believe you did," Pearl said with a smile.

* * *

For years, Pearl trained with String, learning to fight, to dodge and parry and hit and run- but never, in that first decade, did she win.

As String took part in tournaments, leaving her to run drills on her own, Pearl wondered what it would be like to have her own weapon. It was a silly thought, of course; Pearls weren't made to have weapons. But part of her wanted to try, anyway.

So when she was alone, or rather when string wasn't there, she would reach to her gem and try to imagine what sort of weapon would materialize. It would be something grand- a sword, or a spear, or something of incredible proportion.

What she received was not what she expected.

* * *

Pearl was sitting in the corner, idly imagining as she watched the onyxes spar. Only about half of them were in the room today, the rest having gone to watch or participate in the current tournament; including String.

Pearl wondered, again, about her weapon. The image of a weapon in her mind had always been something grandiose, something that would drive fear into the gems of any who saw it.

But couldn't a weapon also be unexpected? String's namesake weapon was certainly harmless in appearance, but Pearl knew from experience that it could cut through a gem's form as well as, if not better than, a blade. It was versatile, and always unexpected.

Perhaps her own weapon was of this ilk. Something different, something new, something that no one would expect.

A small, round ball appeared in her hand.

Pearl looked at it for a moment before the realisation kicked in. She had summoned! True, it didn't look like much, but perhaps there was more to it than meets the eye.

She poked the hard surface, and examined it closely. It was simply… a pink ball. Nothing special about it.

On a whim, she licked the side. It tasted sweet, and sticky.

She popped the whole thing in her mouth and began to chew. She discovered with delight that she could blow the sticky substance into a bubble, which although fragile would coat her hand entirely when it popped, requiring several minutes to free herself.

She also found that she could simply take the sticky mixture and sculpt it into whatever she required, and dry it almost instantly. If she needed a knife, or a needle, she could make one. The wet substance itself also had its uses, particularly in its stickiness, which she found was powerful enough to glue her hands to the floor before she thought to simply dispel the construct.

She tried to summon again, and found that she now had access to it on command.

Smiling, she waited for String to return.

* * *

"Hey pearl, how ya doing?" String asked, sauntering up to Pearl with a smile.

"You are not going to believe what happened while you were gone!" Pearl said.

"Must be pretty cool if you're making that face," String said. "Tell me."

Pearl took a deep breath.

"I summoned a weapon."

"What!?" String exclaimed. "Let's see it!"

Pearl summoned the pink ball.

"Huh," String said. "What… is it?"

"I don't think there's a proper name," Pearl said, "but I've been calling it bubblegum."

"Bubblegum, huh?" String said. "Mind if I ask why?"

"Look," Pearl said, and popped the ball in her mouth. A few moments later, it had been sufficiently chewed that she could blow a bubble.

"That's cool," String said. "Not particularly useful, but cool."

"You haven't seen anything yet," Pearl said, carefully removing the bubble from her mouth. "Catch."

She tossed the bubble at String, who caught it, only to find the gum all over her hands.

"I admit this is mildly annoying," String said.

"Hey, I'm working on it, alright?" Pearl laughed. "I'm sure I'll come up with all kinds of crazy things to do with it."

"I'm sure you will," String said with a smile. "Now can you please dispel this?"

"I suppose I can," Pearl sighed sarcastically. She dispeled the gum.

"Now," String said, grinning devilishly, "I can finally give you a nickname!"

"Huh?"

"You named me after my weapon, so now I'm gonna name you after yours. Welcome to the nickname club, Bubblegum."

* * *

As Bubblegum continued to learn, she grew closer and closer to that elegant style that String had cultivated. The more comfortable she grew with the various skills, it felt less like fighting, and more like dancing.

She began sparring with the other onyxes about a century after she began her training, when String deemed her ready. Her first real fight was a bit of a shock. She had all the moves memorized, but stringing them together was an entirely new skill she had to learn. She had to hone her reflexes, and learn to anticipate her opponents.

Like with all things, it got easier with time, and she soon bested each of the onyxes but String.

The time came, soon enough, for her to test her skills against her teacher. She and String had sparred before; but never to their fullest extent.

"Go bubblegum!" half the onyxes shouted.

"Yeah, string!" the other half said.

In the center of the room, they faced each other, the onyxes standing in a circle to mark the boundary.

And so the fight began.

Both were fast. Both were strong, and both were skilled.

Bubblegum launched herself in with everything she had, ducking and dodging and weaving in and out of String's attacks.

In perfect synch, they struck and parried, neither gaining the upper hand.

String and Bubblegum locked eyes, and smiled.

Bubblegum began to hum the tune, their movements perfectly following the rhythm. Surprising her, String began to hum along as well, in perfect harmony.

The crowd watched, awestruck, as they sang and danced faster and faster, until it finally seemed as if they were about to collide-

A bright flash of light.

* * *

Black Star Diopside opened her four eyes in confusion. The onyxes stared up at her in shock.

"This never happened," she blurted out. "You get that? This never happened."

The onyxes nodded in unison.

* * *

Bubblegum didn't speak for a good hour after they unfused. She sat against the wall, idly tossing a gumball back and forth between her hands.

"Bubblegum," String said for the third time. The pearl said nothing.

String sighed. She had never seen Bubblegum like this. She was so vacant, so… confused.

Just like she was.

String had fused before, with her sister onyxes. It wasn't uncommon for them to fuse for tournaments, to add an extra level of power to the matches. String didn't think much of it- for her, it was almost worse than if she fought alone, simply because of the gap between her and the others' skills.

But with Bubblegum, it felt different. Different, but in a good way; like she wasn't being held back, she was set free. It only lasted for a few moments, and those moments were overshadowed by their immediate panic, but… she wished they had lasted longer.

Finally, String decided she had to do something. She moved to sit just beside Bubblegum, and put an arm around her shoulders.

Bubblegum froze, the gumball falling out of her hand and disappearing before it hit the floor.

"Are you okay?" String asked quietly.

"Yes. No? I don't know," she admitted. "I just…" she waved her hands in a vaguely grand gesture, the enormity of their circumstances too great to put into words.

There was no sparring out on the floor. There was no sound, save for the whispered chatter of the other Onyxes, all gathered in a group by the cubbies, no doubt trying to wrap their own minds around the unprecedented event.

If String looked away, she could imagine that she and Bubblegum were alone together.

"You've fused before," Bubblegum said suddenly. It wasn't a question, but String felt the need to answer anyway.

"Yes."

"But you were surprised."

"Of course I was."

Bubblegum reached up and took String's hand, pulling them closer together. "No, you weren't," she said softly. "I don't think either of us realized it, but…" she shook her head. "I felt something from you, when we were fused. I think that you needed to tell me, but you were too afraid to do so with words. I don't know what that feeling is called, but… I think that I have felt it for you, as well, for a long time."

String didn't bother wiping away the slow trickle of tears falling from her eyes. Instead, she finally wrapped both arms around Bubblegum, her tears falling onto her poofy pink hair.

"I'm such an idiot," she whispered.

"Obviously."

"You're not supposed to agree with me!" she said, doing her best to sound indignant. Bubblegum laughed.

Somehow, she knew they'd be alright.

"There are no cameras," String said. "No one outside this room will ever know."

"I know," Bubblegum said. "We're safe. As safe as we can be."

They stayed there, huddled in their corner together, for a long while. Eventually String stood and went to talk to the other Onyxes, explaining the situation as well as she could. The immediate sense of relief sweeping through the room was clearly visible as each Onyx relaxed upon hearing the news. None of them were ever afraid of being caught; their greatest fear, aside from an untimely visit from the Diamonds, was that the training room would cease to be a sanctuary. It would never be the same again if String and Bubblegum were stuck in an awkward situation for the rest of their lives.

One by one, String spoke to them, and made them swear never to relay word of Black Star Diopside's existence to anyone outside their circle. One by one, they agreed.

At the end of the day, they went back to training, and as they sparred, String felt that the world was suddenly a much brighter place.

* * *

The second time Black Star Diopside formed, it was without an audience. String and Bubblegum had informed the Onyxes of their intentions, of course, but they had waited until most of the group was gone to attempt fusion. There was another tournament going on, and String had purposefully bombed the first round so she could come back before the others. For the first time in centuries, they had a bit of time alone together.

When she opened her eyes this time, there was a bit of lingering panic, but it quickly faded as she looked around and assured herself that there was no one else in this room. She was safe.

She stood there frozen for a long time as she took in her strange new form. She was about three heads taller than the Onyxes, and had four eyes of course. Her gems-String's on her left cheek, Bubblegum's on her right shoulder-were pure black at first glance, but when the light shone on them a four-pointed star pattern emerged. Her form reflected this, as she was wearing a kind of mismatched combination of String and Bubblegum's uniforms, the colors changed to be mostly black with a bit of sparkling white here and there.

After a thorough examination of herself, she directed her thoughts inwards. She really should have done this first, she realized, as a wave of emotions crashed into her mind, leaving her overwhelmed until the waters calmed. It was all still very confusing and mixed-up, but there was one thing that stood out among all the rest. She still didn't have a name for it, but later she would learn to call it love.

She knew who she was. She knew why she was there, who she was meant to be. She knew that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

So, in the vast, empty room, she took the time to do what she did best: train.

* * *

Bubblegum knew she was very, very lucky when Teal showed up again. The other Pearl could drop in any time she wanted, and she knew it, but fortunately she picked a time when Bubblegum was standing by String's cubby as she ought to, rather than training or anything else incrimination. Stars, if Teal saw Star, she'd be shattered for sure.

"Why hello, my friend," Teal said, standing with exaggerated poise beside her. "How is your life among these… onyxes faring?"

Bubblegum could hear the condescending tone in her voice from a mile away.

"Oh, it's alright," she said evenly. "You should watch them train some time. It's quite fascinating what you can learn."

"Oh, but it must be so boring not having anything to do!" Teal said. "I'd certainly take my position with Hematite over a job like this any day."

"Shut up," Bubblegum said. She only realized what she'd done wrong when Teal failed to reply with a snappy quip. She looked over to see Teal staring at her, aghast.

"I...what?"

Bubblegum sighed. "Drop the act. Either you're rubbing your position in my face to make yourself feel special, or you're secretly jealous of me and my freedom. Either way, you aren't doing yourself any favors."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Teal said stiffly. "Good day."

Then she was gone. Bubblegum sincerely hoped she wouldn't show up again for another few centuries.

"That was lucky," String said quietly, having rushed over as soon as Teal was gone.

"Yes, it was," Bubblegum said. "Let's hope I never have to talk to her again."

If only this were a world where wishes came true.

* * *

**A/N: Don't mind me, just your friendly author popping in to see how you're doing because I've committed to putting author's notes in everything. **

**Keep reading, keep writing, and above all, keep dreaming!**


	3. Holding Together

On the day when everything fell apart, Star formed with a deep sense of foreboding already embedded in her gems. She had no reason for it; it was just a day like any other, about two weeks away from the next tournament. The Onyxes were just as wild and crazy as usual, and as usual they kept trying to fight her even though they all knew they couldn't win. Even against a five-Onyx fusion, Star triumphed thanks to her skill, rather than her strength.

All of a sudden the room went quiet. Teal was standing in the doorway, staring up at Star with utter shock and dismay.

"I knew there was something strange about you," she said. Then she disappeared.

Star stood there, frozen, staring at the spot where Teal had been. A mental slap in the face got her moving again.

"I'm leaving. Cover for me. Stall Hematite for as long as you can," she said.

She unfused, and String and Bubblegum ran out the door.

* * *

The streets of Homeworld were unfamiliar to both of them. String hadn't ever been outside the arena, and Bubblegum had only ever walked the upper districts with Morganite. Still, somehow they navigated their way through the winding maze of streets, posing as just an Onyx and her Pearl, praying that no one would think to take a closer look.

Somehow, after hours of wandering with no sign of pursuit, they stumbled upon the port. Standing just far enough away to not seem suspicious, they spoke in quiet voices of their plan.

"How do we get in?" String whispered.

"I'm trying to remember… you need to have official documents to get in, signed by a superior or administrative gem. If you seem suspicious at all, they'll scan your gem and check the database."

"So sneaking in is a no-go."

"Right. Looks like we're doing this the hard way," Bubblegum said, looking up at String with a mischievous smile.

"Ah, but the hard way is also the fun way," String said, returning the smile.

"Follow my lead," Bubblegum said. They left their hiding spot and walked towards the port.

"Halt! Present your papers," the Ruby guarding the entrance said. A bored Peridot was standing behind her, tapping idly on her screen.

"I'm afraid we don't have any," Bubblegum said politely. "But we know someone who will let us through."

"Huh? Who?" The Ruby said, confused.

"Oh, you wouldn't know her," String said. The Peridot suddenly snapped to attention, reaching for a destabilizer, but it was too late. String took Bubblegum's hand, and everyone nearby was suddenly blinded by their glow.

* * *

Star neatly plucked the destabilizer out of the Peridot's hands(well, limb enhancers) and poofed her and the Ruby guard within ten seconds. She left their gems on the ground and hopped over the gate and into the shipyard. She ran straight for the closest ship, which happened to be a small transport pod, meant for a single gem going a short distance. She didn't have time to be choosy, however, as distant shouts told her that the alarm had been sounded, and a small army was undoubtedly heading her way.

She squeezed inside the pod and hurriedly set about launching. She had no idea how to fly, but fortunately it was designed to be fairly easy to understand. Within a minute, she was up in the air. As she broke free of Homeworld's gravity, she thought for a moment that she might actually be home free.

Then something connected with the side of the pod, and everything went dark.

Using her gems to illuminate the space, Star hurriedly assessed the damage. Behind her, a large dent was visible in the side of the pod, and sparks were flying everywhere. She ripped the paneling off the wall and found a mess of melted wires behind it.

"Well this is just perfect," she said with a sigh.

* * *

She wasn't exactly sure how much time she spent in the pod. It couldn't have been more than a few hours before she got it sort-of working again, to the point where the engine was functioning at least. She had no way of steering, thanks to the onboard computer being utterly decimated, so she just kept flying in the dark, praying that she'd crash into something soon, and that it wouldn't be a star or a black hole.

After a very long time, in which the pod became increasingly covered in haphazard patches made of string and bubblegum, she suddenly felt the pod shake violently. She had entered the atmosphere of a planet.

The mess disappeared instantly, leaving the ruined shell of a pod to be slowly disintegrated by the heat of atmospheric entry. She waited until the last possible second before jumping out from the protection of the pod, into the open air. By then she was only a few dozen yards above the surface of a vast ocean of water, stretching as far as the eye can see. She barely had time to look at it before her instincts kicked in and forced her to angle herself just right to slide beneath the waves without taking too much damage to her physical form.

She surfaced for a moment, treading water while looking around for any sign of land. Finding none, she let herself sink down to the dark depths of the sea, and began walking uphill.

This was going to be a long journey.

* * *

After months of wandering the sea floor, Star emerged on a sandy beach with a strange appearance. A huge statue, depicting an eight-armed fusion, was staring down at her while cradling a house in its lower arms. For a moment, she lost all sense of scale, and she was the same size as the statue, the house no taller than her ankles.

Then she snapped back to reality, and began venturing forward. If anyone did live there, they were unlikely to be much of a threat to her(not that anyone was, really), and if they lived under the statue of a fusion they probably wouldn't hate her for existing anyway.

To her surprise and delight, Star was welcomed with open arms.

* * *

Later, the gems of Little Homeworld would ask for her story. Every time she'd smile and say the same thing.

"For the longest time, I was held together by String and Bubblegum."

* * *

**A/N: Aaaaand... Scene! Thanks for reading, come again soon! **

**Keep reading, keep writing, and above all, keep dreaming! **


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